Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic’s history, power was used in a positive way through the voices and culture of the Taino people and was also abused by intelligent government forces. This struggle for power exists in a country that is 18,816 miles large, the 2nd largest island in the Caribbean. Dominican Republic has land forms such as mountains, rolling hills, lakes, rivers, and beaches. On this island power is shown through the Taino government and culture, through the Spaniards force, the voices and revolutions of the Dominican Republic. Culture The Dominican Republic’s native group the Taino’s showed power through their strong government and culture. The Taino had a communed society. This means that they believed in cooperation and equality. Since yucca was a main food staple it became the basis for the survival and growth of the Taino people. The Taino used the barter system, they would meet at a central place for trading for which they would exchanged things such as food, beads, etc. this meant that they believed in equality for everyone in the community. They shared everything and traded anything. This showed the Taino’s having power because they were in charge of their own society and they believed that everyone was equal. Between 1200 A.D and 1500 A.D, the Taino people of Quisqueya, had organized governments. The island was divided into 5 kingdoms or Caciquedoms, each Caciquedom was governed by a chief. The chief was called caciques. The caciques had great power in all areas of community life and were highly respected. This meant that they were a civilized community because they had laws, governments, and the island was separated into powers. The Taino's were in power because they had governments on the island and each cacique was respected highly. Imperial Take Over Spanish explorer’s demonstrated power whey they colonized Hispaniola through force and changed society. On December 5 Columbus arrived on the island of Quiqueya. Since Columbus thought he was near the coast of India, he made the mistake of call the original people on Quiqueya and other neighboring islands “Indian.” Since then the term “Indian” has been used to name the original people of the Americas. This meant that when Columbus first came to Quisqueya he thought he arrived at India, and called the natives, Indian. Columbus was in power because he made the mistake of calling the Taino’s “Indian.” Another example is Archeologist have estimated that there were between three hundred thousand and three million people living on Quisqueya when the Spaniards arrived in 1492, four years later, one third of these people had been killed by soldiers or died of starvation and disease brought by the Spaniards. Others died of brutal treatment of slavery or took cassava poison to avoid these horrors those who fled to other islands often faced a familiar fate. This meant that when the Spaniards arrived they killed more than half of the population with disease and brutal treatment. The colonials had power because before the Spaniards arrived there was 3 million people living on the island, after the Spaniards arrived there was only a third of the populations still living because of disease and brutal treatment of the Spaniards. Resistance The natives showed power through their voices & revolts against slavery. A fight for independence took place on Hispaniola. In 1520, Enriquillo led the Taino in a rebellion. Their base of operations was in the mountains. In 1522, they were joined by many enslaved Africans who also rebelled against the cruel treatment of the Spanish. The colonial government could not control Enriquillos rebellion. At the same time Diego Columbus was unable to improve relationships among colonist. This was the rebellion that was held by Enriquillo against the colonist, Enriquillo was also joined by enslaved Africans. Also Diego still had an awful relationship with the colonist. Enriquillo was in power because he led a Taino rebellion and the Spanish government couldn’t control Enriquillo and his men. Another example is more and more Dominicans from other regions of the country began to agree that their country should be independent from Haiti. Trinitari leaders and their followers decided to declare Dominican Republic independent on the night of February 27, 1844. They meet in the city of Santo Domingo at the gat of La Miserciorda. They fired a loud shot as a symbol of their independence. This meant that Dominicans gained there independence at February 27, 1844. The Dominicans were in power because they began to agree that their country should be independent. The Trinitari secrete society declared independence. External Links * resume writer